We 'signed' Ruben Neves as a Frenkie de Jong alternative and silverware followed for Man United

Manchester United are once again being linked with long-term target Ruben Neves as a deal for Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong has hit stumbling blocks.

De Jong has been Erik ten Hag's number one midfield target for Man United all summer long, with the two clubs having already agreed a deal in principle for the signature of the Netherlands international. But with De Jong still owed millions in wages by the Spanish club, the move is far from easy.

Chelsea have also been linked with De Jong in recent weeks, and United could turn towards an alternative in Neves. The Portuguese midfielder hasn't ruled out a move away from Molineux, claiming every player has dreams to achieve in a short space of time.

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"Our careers are really short, we need to take the opportunities we have," said Neves to The Athletic back in May. "Of course, all of us have dreams and we need to live those dreams in a short space of time. Let's see what happens. I cannot say too much about it."

If Neves was to make the move to Old Trafford this summer instead of De Jong, what sort of impact could he have on Ten Hag's side? Could the Portuguese midfielder help United get back into the top four?

To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Neves to join United at the start of the Premier League season, using FM22 to run the simulation. We also updated United's squad with the latest transfers.

Premier League proven, Neves slotted straight into United's midfield and quickly established himself as a key player for Ten Hag. In his first season, the 25-year-old made a total of 49 appearances in all competitions, with just one of those